In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

In an instant, Shi Feixuan, having calmed down, realized that if even her life and death were in the hands of others, what did her innocence in the demonic process matter?

However, this was still too much of a shock for her, so Fan Qinghui gave Shi Feixuan three days to consider it.

Cihang Jingzhai is not a place of detachment from worldly desires; on the contrary, every generation of Cihang Jingzhai's successors are passionate individuals.

And it has the power to influence public opinion to the extreme!

Chapter 665 The Clay-Sculpted Golden Buddha of Salvation at Little Thunderclap Temple

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, like a fleeting moment.

For Shi Feixuan, whether or not to cultivate the demonic seed remains a difficult decision.

Planting the demonic seed requires sacrificing too many things. Even if Fan Qinghui hadn't been forcibly planted with the demonic seed by Zhang Xiaoshan, she would have definitely resisted it.

However, influenced by the demonic seed, he not only lost his previous killing intent and ferocity, but also developed an absolute dependence on Zhang Xiaoshan.

Shi Feixuan, influenced by Fan Qinghui, thought that planting a demonic seed was merely a vessel for cultivating demons, and she never imagined the demonic seed's influence on her, which was almost like the indoctrination of a slave mentality.

Moreover, in Shi Feixuan's understanding, the Pure Yang Demon Seed is formed by the condensation of the Taoist primordial spirit, and its essence is still the Pure Yang primordial spirit.

Therefore, this is no longer about planting demons in one's heart, but about planting the Dao.

However, she was unwilling to give up this opportunity.

It should be noted that among the extraordinary women of Cihang Jingzhai throughout history, her talent was not considered top-notch; Sword Heart Clarity was already her limit.

At most one or two decades later, through the accumulation of time, they will reach the pinnacle of their abilities.

However, it is simply impossible to reach the level of a Grandmaster using this method.

With the Pure Yang Demon Seed, one can easily cross seemingly insurmountable barriers. Shi Feixuan did not want to miss such a "543" opportunity.

Her master is a good example; in a short period of time, he entered a critical stage and became a grandmaster.

Moreover, he is a top-tier expert among Grandmasters!

Therefore, after much internal struggle, Shi Feixuan ultimately chose to compromise with reality.

Unwilling to lose to the enchantress Wanwan! Unwilling to stop at the peerless realm!

"You ultimately chose this path!"

Looking at Shi Feixuan, Fan Qinghui was only giving her a choice, not wanting her to spend ten years in seclusion and only barely reach the peerless realm.

There's even a chance they'll become obsessed and turn to demonic possession!

If you can let go, that might be a form of spiritual practice.

But in her eyes, Shi Feixuan, who was extremely principled, still chose a path of no return.

"I will give you some more time to meditate and focus on Zen. During this time, I will write you a letter."

"If you are truly determined, come to me to retrieve the letter, then travel to Peach Blossom Island to find the young master and cultivate the Demon Seed Technique of the Dao Heart."

"Yes, Master!"

Shi Feixuan also knew the difficulty of the choice and thought it over carefully before acting.

Undoubtedly, Fan Qinghui was now urging her to calmly reconsider and make her own choice, as it concerned her future fate.

Fan Qinghui's calm mindset made her feel that the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique had no other drawbacks besides the fact that one's life and death were not in one's own hands and the innocence required.

As for retrieving the demonic seed from the furnace to practice cultivation?

The growth of the Pure Yang Demon Seed is imbued with their own consciousness. Throughout history, evil emperors who sought to cultivate their skills using the furnace have all been devoured and killed by the Demon Seed.

Moreover, Zhang Xiaoshan had already reached his peak at this time, and his skill was extremely pure and profound. Why would he need to use a furnace to practice his skills?

Instead, taking back the furnace cauldron was extremely disadvantageous to Zhang Xiaoshan.

However, if they disobey or become enemies of the Zhang family, this will undoubtedly be a time bomb within them.

···

A month later, the first group of gold prospectors and masters of both Buddhist and demonic paths set off from Donglai County for Japan.

The first batch numbered over 10,000, and most of them were migrant workers.

After all, the situation in Japan was still uncertain at the time, and they were attracted by the Zhang family's high welfare benefits. Who would dare to bring their family along?

However, Zhang Xiaoshan was not in a hurry. He would take it slow. There were still at least ten years before the empire collapsed.

Ten years is enough time for the Zhang family to relocate too many people.

Moreover, once they become familiar with the area, migrating to Japan would be a good option, with the most obvious benefit being that it would be a paradise on earth.

Given the servile nature of Japan, as long as there are enough Han Chinese in Japan, they will inevitably be Sinicized or become descendants of Han Chinese.

After all, the gold prospectors who came to work were all burly men, averaging seven feet tall (1.7 meters).

Compared to the average height of six feet in Japan and six and a half feet in the West at that time, the Han Chinese were definitely the tallest people.

As for the Buddhist and demonic paths, Japan itself has a Buddhist foundation.

Zhang Xiaoshan gathered tens of thousands of monks from Japan to do hard labor in building the "Little Leiyin Temple." At the same time, he also relocated thousands of monks from Cihang Jingzhai, Shaolin, Baima Temple, and other Buddhist temples to Japan to spread Buddhism.

Japanese monks build temples, while monks from the Central Plains live there—this is Zhang Xiaoshan's perverse sense of humor.

Unless they are eminent Japanese monks recognized by masters like Liaokong, most of the monks will be sent back to farming or become gold miners after the construction is completed!

And so, another three years passed in the blink of an eye.

In three years, a magnificent little Raiyin Temple, resembling a royal palace, was built at the foot of Mount Fuji on the main island of Japan.

To prevent the active volcano from erupting and affecting the temple.

The temple was built on the opposite bank of Lake Kawaguchi. Every morning, one can not only see the reflection of Mount Fuji, but the backdrop of Mount Fuji also makes this Buddhist temple appear more authentic.

At this time, this incomparably magnificent Buddhist palace had become a sacred place for the entire Japanese kingdom.

If it weren't for the fact that this was a Buddhist temple and the imperial general stationed there, one would have thought it was a Japanese imperial palace.

Moreover, the presence of eminent Buddhist monks from Shaolin, Cihang Jingzhai, and Baima Temple highlights the extraordinary nature of this Buddhist palace; only the Zhang family could afford such a feat.

After all, the Zhang family's "grand project" has deeply resonated with the public.

As for the monks who built the temple?

Although there has been no allowance for the past three years, we have been able to eat our fill three times a day, with meat at every meal.

Because of the meat involved, it was destined from the beginning that they could not continue to be monks.

The practice of monks in the Central Plains abstaining from meat and fish naturally spread and flourished in Japan.

Besides, the temple does not enshrine the Buddha, but rather Zhang Xiaoshan, who has been sculpted into a golden statue of a Buddhist monk, and is thus revered as—

The Buddha of Salvation and Merit!

Furthermore, on one side, there was a temple keeper promoting the merits of the Zhang family.

The Japanese people not only did not reject this, but instead devoutly believed in it, with every household revering Buddha!

After the nobles were killed and the Japanese Emperor and Shogunate fell, the era of commoners began, with the poor dividing farmland equally. The Zhang family became the saviors of most of the poor at the bottom of society.

Especially the merits of the Zhang family promoted by the temple keeper on one side, from the perspective of the common people, apart from Zhang Xiaoshan's Asura Wrath, it can be said that Zhang Xiaoshan's merits were truly to save people from suffering.

It was infinitely better than the nobles who had previously exploited and oppressed them.

Therefore, the people of Japan were filled with hope that the Zhang family would 'rule' Japan.

Moreover, in three years, thanks to the land they were allocated, the first year's harvest was enough to feed them.

In the second and third years, almost every household had surplus grain.

Even the majority of the people of Kyushu may not have such a happy life.

Therefore, after the temple was completed, it became extremely popular, with countless people making pilgrimages every day.

However, this is something that cannot be replicated!

Zhang Xiaoshan dared to slaughter nobles here and distribute land to the people.

That was his murderous intent toward Japan; he didn't care how many people he killed, and anyone who stood in his way was to be killed without mercy.

Only through ruthless means could a life where everyone owned land be achieved.

But the Nine Provinces are different. The interests involved are those of the aristocratic class. Moving one thing can have far-reaching consequences, and one wrong move could make you an enemy of the whole world.

···

"Amitabha!"

At Xiaoleiyin Temple, a unified Buddhist chant of "United as one" resounded for miles around, almost triggering another eruption of Mount Fuji.

Inside the Little Thunderclap Temple, a group of Buddhist masters were performing a 'consecration' ceremony.

Although the temple began welcoming visitors a year ago, its actual completion is today.

Previously, only the main hall was open to the public because only the main hall had been completed.

But now we have a library, a stupa forest, a Bodhidharma monastery, an Arhat hall...

It can be said that everything that Shaolin Temple, Cihang Jingzhai Temple, and Baima Temple have is here, and even more magnificent.

The Sutra Repository is also known as the Gold Repository, and its entire exterior is covered with gold leaf, costing Zhang Xiaoshan nearly a thousand taels of gold. The pagodas in the Pagoda Forest are made of white marble from Yanjing, and they look sacred and radiant. There are also the Thirty-Six Halls of Arhats, which are specifically used to practice the basic martial arts of Shaolin, such as Arhat Fist, One-Finger Zen, and Iron Shirt, to achieve the effect of strengthening the body.

As for advanced martial arts, one can only cultivate them by entering the Arhat Hall and becoming one of the 108 Arhats, and even then, they are only hard skills like the Golden Bell Cover.

The profound internal martial arts techniques are passed down orally only at the Bodhidharma Academy.

Anyway, with the main Shaolin Temple and Jingnian Zen Temple still there, even if something happens and the teachings are lost, we can invite a high-ranking monk from the temple to come and spread the Dharma.

Moreover, Zhang Xiaoshan meant that profound and unique skills must never be passed on to Japan.

Even the martial monks in Xiaoleiyin Temple only pass on their skills to Han Chinese, not to Japanese.

"Greetings, young master, Venerable Mingchen, Master Fanzhai!"

As the largest Han Chinese temple in Japan, when Xiao Leiyin Temple was fully completed, Zhang Xiaoshan, along with Master Mingchen, Fan Qinghui, and Shi Feixuan, personally came to cut the ribbon.

On the empire's side, Lee Shin, the highest-ranking general stationed in Goryeo, also came to offer his congratulations!

Inside the main hall, Li Xin gazed at the golden statue of Zhang Xiaoshan, who was revered as the Buddha of Merit, and couldn't help but sigh.

From a military perspective, how many people did the Zhang family kill this time?

Leaving aside other matters, they slaughtered the Japanese Emperor's headquarters, leaving no survivors; they beheaded the enemy's commander-in-chief on the battlefield, resulting in the annihilation of a 300,000-strong Japanese army; and with a single, insidious 'vertical' strategy, they successively defeated Japan, Silla, and Baekje...

No matter how you look at it, Zhang Xiaoshan has nothing to do with the Living Buddha who saves the world.

Even in terms of cause and effect, the Zhang family caused at least a million deaths in Japan.

However, it is said that over the past year, the temple has become so popular that it is considered a living Buddha to thousands of families, with a constant stream of pilgrims coming to worship every day.

Chapter 666 Gai Nie's Countdown to Escape the Empire

"Namo Amitabha!"

Inside the magnificent Mahavira Hall, thousands of monks chanted the Diamond Sutra to "consecrate" this Little Thunder Temple!

Outside the main hall, 100,000 Japanese believers were devoutly worshipping, making it an exceptionally sacred moment for them.

But for the imperial high-ranking officials and the merchants from the Central Plains who came to visit, it was extremely comical.

Because the clay bodhisattva looking down at them from above is Zhang Xiaoshan standing right next to them.

"Young Master Zhang, why would you create a golden statue for yourself? This isn't like you."

"It's just about suppressing Shintoism."

Shintoism is the faith of the Emperor that has been passed down for thousands of years. Although it may seem that Shintoism has disappeared, many elderly people in Japan still believe in Shintoism.

Ultimately, Buddhism is just a belief system.

To suppress Shintoism, there needs to be someone who can mentally overpower the Emperor of Japan.

The Zhang family's wealth—taken from the people and used for the people—was thus intended to completely sever the Shintoist tradition through this method, otherwise the Emperor's lineage would inevitably rise again.

Although the Zhang family wiped out the direct line of the Emperor, just like in the Central Plains, if you trace your family back five hundred years, there's a 50% chance that you're a historical figure.

Similarly, there have been quite a few descendants of the Emperor who have been scattered among the common people over the past thousand years.

This is also why Zhang Xiaoshan suddenly slaughtered those nobles.